There are some very talented car modelers here and recently there seems to be a bit of renewed interest in cars. Even Rob has a car (Jeep) going!

So I got the bug (that pun really wasn't intended) and picked this up at HobbyLobby a few weeks ago....

Some early gluing.....

About 10 days later, I think the engine compartment is done....

To quote Mustang Joe from a few weeks back, "Danged macros!"

I don't know about what's ahead, but at the moment I'm pretty impressed with Revell. There were a bunch of finicky, oddly shaped parts, some with hoses. The hose ends just magically dropped into place and everything just fit.

My paint work is better than it would have been all those years back. It took longer this time. Still fun!!!

You're welcome Greg! I literally have a dozen or maybe even dozens of car model kits. I just didn't even consider thinking about them until recently. I'm going to build a few of them soon.

Your bug looks good. I have a Polar Lights Herbie the Love Bug kit I bought for one of my kids before they lost interest in model building. I also have a Revell of Germany new Beetle Polizei police car. And I have a Hasegawa VW van that an eBay seller in Japan sent me by accident and told me to keep (was supposed to be a Fine Molds snow speeder that I did receive).

I'm also a sucker for a deal and have grabbed all sorts of car kits I see on sale for under $10.

Plenty cool Greg. I went through a 1/1 VW phase years ago and restored and drove several 69-72 Bugs. Your engine looks super! Want me to adjust the valves for you? Only takes a few minutes, lol. Looks fun, maybe I should try one. Maybe not. I did have to join VWs Anonymous because I could never go from point A to point B without stopping to ask what they wanted for that old VW out back.---Max, watching!

Nick, thanks. You do a heck of a job with cars. You might just be right, might be contagious. We'll see.

Rob, I wouldn't have guessed you have all those cars in your stash, and many of them bugs! Thanks for the nice comments, and let's bug on.

Hey Max, do come adjust my valves! One of my problems with building cars is I know so little about them. I can ID a distributor cap, an air cleaner filter housing, and maybe a fan belt, that's about it. It's probably a good thing I didn't go through a 1:1 VW phase as you did back in the days I could have afforded it. And thanks your your nice comments.

So that rubber tube that connects from the crank case to the aircleaner wants to get chucked. It's a PCV tube. No, not a polution control valve, but "positive crankcase ventilation. Thats Bug for air polution control. Useless.

Get rid of that flex pipe from the left head shroud to the aircleaner intake. Cold start preheat also useless.

In fact, get rid of the aircleaner because the two stage Weber downdraft carb you're gonna replace that anemic Zenith carb with has it's own foam rubber air cleaner on top.

So that rubber tube that connects from the crank case to the aircleaner wants to get chucked. It's a PCV tube. No, not a polution control valve, but "positive crankcase ventilation. Thats Bug for air polution control. Useless.

Get rid of that flex pipe from the left head shroud to the aircleaner intake. Cold start preheat also useless.

In fact, get rid of the aircleaner because the two stage Weber downdraft carb you're gonna replace that anemic Zenith carb with has it's own foam rubber air cleaner on top.

Now yer' rolling.

Oh no! There won't be anything left. I guess you really do know your Bugs!

By golly I know who to ask if I want to customize the next engine, though.

It's awesome you have a scale model of your first car, Rob. Who doesn't remember the Rabbit!?!? Even more awesome that you still have it.

Looks like you did a knock out job on it and the Airfix VW. So you're no rookie building things with 4 wheels, then.

I had no idea Airfix had that kit. I've yet to build anything Airfix and I'm eager to give them a go.

The Model year of the kit doesn't match my actual Rabbit; headlights became square, turn signals were relocated from the front bumper and side of the fender to a single unit adjacent to the headlights. Same thing on the tail lights.

As far as the Airfix kit, I would not recommend it. I had purchased it because it was close in scale to armor models, but determined that the scale difference was too great. It is not a good kit.

This is fun. I also had a 1979 Rabbit diesel. Incredibly noisey and slow. On highway use, to pass someone, you would have to turn off the AC. I think if you put someting on the dash, like a camera, it would be completly disassembled in fifty miles from vibration. Hey, it would eek out 50 mpg occasionally, nothing to scoff at. VW stories, you've got us started!

The Model year of the kit doesn't match my actual Rabbit; headlights became square, turn signals were relocated from the front bumper and side of the fender to a single unit adjacent to the headlights. Same thing on the tail lights.

As far as the Airfix kit, I would not recommend it. I had purchased it because it was close in scale to armor models, but determined that the scale difference was too great. It is not a good kit.

Well, in the case of the Rabbit model not being the exact year, you've given me an idea as I found a mustang kit close to the '72 I had but not quite. I might get the kit anyway as it's only a year or two off.

Thanks for the thumbs down on the Airfix Bug. I don't like strugglling with kits and appreciate the heads-up, Rob.

This is fun. I also had a 1979 Rabbit diesel. Incredibly noisey and slow. On highway use, to pass someone, you would have to turn off the AC. I think if you put someting on the dash, like a camera, it would be completly disassembled in fifty miles from vibration. Hey, it would eek out 50 mpg occasionally, nothing to scoff at. VW stories, you've got us started!

Maxie

So many Volkswagon memories. I'm having as much fun listening to VW stories as I am building this thing. It's sort of like I'm having my own VW vicariously through my buddies stories.

Saw this '68 Beetle at Hobby Lobby today. I was tempted, but I need to finish the car kits I am working on AND already have in the box!

I understand that, Rob.

If I didn't mention it already, that is how I got on this car kick. I already had the bug from watching threads here, was perusing the Hobby Lobby model aisle, saw this, and there I went. Right over the edge.

Hey Steve! So you're out and about and perusing the hobby aisle at Hobby Lobby, eh? Man, is that the best news ever or what?!?!

Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment, it's just so good to hear from you.

Thanks Greg, I'm feeling great! It is so wonderful to walk around without oxygen tanks and a canula. The freedom to be able to do most of the things I used to, and it's just a matter of time before I get stronger to do the rest. I feel like a new man, literally. I do get some muscle pain at the incision site, but I would expect that for a while longer as things heal.

Driving VWs? Yeah I was "privileged” to drive several different year VWs for my work with a national pest control company, the mouse cars had mouse ears, tail and nose/teeth were just the added spice to make crusen’ along the freeway a thing of wonder.

The beat up AMT Rabbit box in my photo above is a second kit I bought on eBay several years ago. I was planning on building my car again, but trying to update it to the 1989 look. I didn't think I could do it so it sits in the basement along with other car kits.

I think my new one is molded in yellow, but the original was molded in red. I still have the optional wheels for that kit somewhere.